


Brittle

by orphan_account



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chatting & Messaging, M/M, predatory Vlad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 19:48:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15541686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: No good ever comes from conversations between middle-aged men and teenaged boys in the dark.





	Brittle

The swoosh of incoming instant messages barraged through the otherwise quiet of Vlad Master’s decadent home office.  No good ever came from conversations between middle-aged men and little boys in the dark.

 

 

**Suitandtie: I think it's time we meet up.**

 

The 42-year-old man was leaning slightly back, the blue glow of his monitor harsh in the dark.

 

yoDanny14: ooooh :

 

**Suitandtie: As much as I've enjoyed our conversations these past three weeks, there is not much more I can teach you without meeting in person.**

 

yoDanny14: Okay, teach me a lesson ;)

 

yoDanny14: Daddy

 

**Suitandtie: Not like that, you filthy boy**

 

The artificial light bothered him. The flashing screen made his eyes burn and the skin on the back of his neck tighten. Every notification blip was a siren to him, accusatory and shrill.

 

yoDanny14: rude

 

yoDanny14: Don’t you like me anymore?

 

 Vlad's clothes felt too tight. He could not breathe. He was neglecting his latest young charge. He couldn't do that. The boy  _needed_ this guidance.

 

Vlad turned on his desk lamp, and the panic instantly cleared. Charming billionaires could do no wrong in the light.

 

**Suitandtie: Perhaps a little like that**

 

yoDanny14: That’s better

 

**SuitandTie: Brat.**

 

yoDanny14: you know it!

 

**Suitandtie: I have a gift for you.**

 

yoDanny14: Is that we are calling it these days?

 

Vlad chose to ignore that particular implication. The boy could be the strangest combination of rashly bold and painfully shy. There was so much for Vlad to teach him. He was his elder. It would be wrong to not bestow upon the youth his wisdom.

 

**Suitandtie: It’s not much, but I saw it while on a business trip and immediately thought of you.  What time are you available?**

 

yoDanny14: I get out of school around 3:15

 

**Suitandtie: Excellent. I’ll see you at the Maple Cafe at 4.**

 

yoDanny14: Sounds good. That way you can make sure I’m not secretly some old gross guy before we go somewhere more private :0

 

**Suitandtie: Isn’t that supposed to my line?**

 

yoDanny14: Oh, I already know you are old lol

 

**SuitandTie: Daniel, you wound me**

 

yoDanny14: But that what I like about you, Vlad. The boys my age don’t know what they want. I need someone mature in my life. Someone who can teach me.

 

**SuitandTie: What a cheeky boy. How fortunate for you I know a thing or two.**

 

YoDanny14: So 4 o’clock then. I’ll be the one with the black hair and Madison Prep uniform.

 

**SuitandTie: I’ll see you tomorrow, Little Badger**

 

YoDanny14: looking forward to it, old man ;)

 

 

 

Vlad put on a pair of black slacks and a white collared shirt. He loosely laced a red bolo tie around his neck. After tying his hair back and then taking it down three times, he ultimately settled on the low ponytail. He wanted to impress the boy, but he didn’t want to look like he was trying too hard. In the three weeks that they had been chatting, Daniel had complained six times about how his father and one of his teachers used embarrassing lingo to try to relate to him. So innocent, and yet so curious. Vlad was the only one who could help the boy. Daniel needed him.

 

 

* * *

 

The Maple Cafe. Vlad arrives early. He orders a cinnamon kringle bun and a coffee. Black. Vlad is not supposed to have much sugar.

 

It’s 4:22. When the boy finally walks in, the crisp late autumn air sneaks in beside him. Five foot two. Sweater vest and slacks. A little lanky, but that could be fixed. A mop of messy, crow-black hair. Vlad shivers.

 

“Mr. Masters?” Oh. His eyes are blue. They glance up, the rest of his freckled face turned slightly down. His bottom lip bitten with nerves.

 

“Please. Call me Vlad.”

 

A nervous giggle. “Right. Vlad.” The bashfulness broke for a second, those bluebird eyes sparkling. “Unless you want me to call you Sir.”

 

Vlad sucked in a breath. “Daniel…” but then the child was once again looking down, and a slight flush on his youthful cheeks.

 

Vlad pushed over the pastry. Despite his best efforts at self-control, a few pieces had been pulled off and eaten. It wasn’t his fault. Daniel made him wait.

 

“Is this for me? Thank you. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast, and I’m starved.” He certainly must have been. The pastry was quickly devoured, leaving nothing behind but white powder on toffee lips.

 

“Tsk, tsk. You need to take care of yourself, Daniel.” If he were his child, Vlad would make sure he ate three meals, every day. He would bake him, sweets, too, sticky buns and marzipan and sugar cookies. All the things that he could not indulge in. The things his own mother never let him have. “You are a growing boy.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Tell that to Dash Baxter. He’s the one who takes my lunch money. ‘Faggot Taxes’, he calls it.”

 

“That is absolutely terrible, Daniel.”

 

 

Those rounded shoulders shrugged under the crisp cotton of the school-issued button-down. “Eh. I’m used to it.” The boy picked at his nail beds. “Besides, I have you now, don’t I? To take care of me?”

 

Vlad took a sip of the cold coffee. It was still one-quarter full. Self-control. “I’d like that very much, Daniel.”

 ”How about that present?”

 

“Rude.”

 

Danny just shrugged. “You are the one who keeps calling me a brat. I hate to disappoint.”

 

Vlad smiled. He pulled out his briefcase. Blue eyes seemed fascinated, watching mildly arthritic fingers twirling the combination.

 

A folder was pulled out. The antique star chart within smelled of must and mildew. The previous owner probably would have scoffed if he knew it was being given to a young teenager, but Daniel was not like other teens. He was older than his years, a brat, sure, but one of the intelligent tastes.

Daniel practically squealed when he realized what it was, and reached for the paper with vibrating arms. From there, he went on and on about astronavigation and historical perspective on the stars and planets.

Daniel apologized for rambling. It was amazing how the kid could go from sounding so confident to needing validation.

Vlad put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “You are passionate. You are still young. Don’t ever apologize for being who you are. What you are is so special.”

Eyes like the soft blue of cotton candy widened, a flush like bubblegum crossing amaretto cheeks.

A piece of remaining bun was flicked at him and bounced off his chest. “What was that for?”

Daniel’s face was pure mischief.

 

“You were getting too serious. I had to lighten the mood somehow.”

 

“Brat.”

 

“Froot Loop.”

The two ended up leaving for the older man’s car. Vlad had mentioned having his own museum of Packer’s paraphernalia, and Daniel said he wanted to see. It only took minimal convincing. How could he tell such an eager face no? Vlad never had a son. His daughter had never shown interest in sports or science like this, and she was out of his life now. The way Daniel spoke of his parents and of how he was treated in school… well, he could use a mentor.

Vlad felt a warm hand wrap around his.

“Daniel…” They were still in public. Not much of anyone was around, but he had parked across the street and down a little way, and they hadn’t quite reached his silver BMW.

 

The boy just shrugged, smile sheepish.

 “If anyone asks, you’re my uncle.”

 

“How considerate of you.”

 

 But Vlad knew that nobody would. The evening sun glinted off his silver wristwatch. It was only 4:52 pm, after all. And he was Vladimir Masters. Charming billionaires could do no wrong in the light.


End file.
